Experience the rare seasonal rising of the blue moon
The full moon in August will not only be known as the Sturgeon Moon, but will also rise as a rare seasonal blue moon.
If you look east from Redding and across Northern California on Monday, you’ll see a rare treat: a blue supermoon.
The August full moon is often called the Sturgeon Moon because the month coincides with fishing season on the Great Lakes, but this year it is also the first supermoon of 2024 and a blue moon, according to NASA.
The rare “super blue moon” combination occurs when the different cycles of blue moons and supermoons coincide on the calendar, said Noah Petro, project scientist for NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Assuming skies are clear, all you have to do is look east/southeast after 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 19 to see the moon glittering, according to astronomy and weather website Time and Date. The moon will also appear large and bright on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, NASA said.
Here’s why the moon may appear larger than usual from August 19 to 21, and what else you might see when you look up on those nights.
Why is the moon called the blue moon?
There are two types of blue moons: seasonal and monthly. This week’s moon is a seasonal moon.
A seasonal blue moon occurs when there are four full moons in one season (in this case, summer). In this case, the third of the four is considered a blue moon.
The second definition – which arose from a misunderstanding of the original definition – is the “monthly blue moon,” which refers to the second full moon in a calendar month.
In any case, blue moons owe their reputation as rarity to a peculiarity in the typical rhythm of one full moon per month.
Why is the full moon in August called a supermoon?
The largest full moons of the year, supermoons, occur when the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit – or perigee – at a distance of about 226,000 miles (364,000 kilometers). The moon looks a little bigger and brighter because it is closer to Earth. At its farthest point, or apogee, the moon is an average of 251,000 miles (407,000 kilometers) away, according to NASA.
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And 2024 is a super year for supermoons.
We have four of them, starting in August. Others are on September 17, October 17, and November 15, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac and NASA.
What are other monthly full moons called in 2024?
In North America, the names given to each monthly full moon are derived from Native American traditions. According to NASA, the Maine Farmer’s Almanac began publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s.
This is what North Americans call other full moons that will rise in 2024:
- September 17: Harvest Moon, Supermoon
- October 17: Hunter’s Moon, Supermoon
- November 15: Beaver Moon, Supermoon
- Dec 15: Cold Moon
Solar eclipse and Saturn: What else to look out for in the sky in August and September
There are two more cool dark sky events in August and September. Both are visible to the naked eye, according to NASA, Old Farmer’s Almanac, SeaSky.org and EarthSky.org.
Best views of Saturn: The solar system’s second-largest planet and the one with the brightest rings is best seen in the morning from August 25 to September 7 and in the evening from September 8 to October 1. Saturn is visible to the naked eye, but its rings and some of its 83 moons are visible with a simple telescope.
Partial lunar eclipse: The second solar eclipse visible in the North State in 2024 is a partial lunar eclipse. It will peak on September 17 at about 7:12 p.m. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, but the sun, Earth and moon are not exactly in line. During the eclipse, a piece of the moon will peek out. What makes September’s solar eclipse special is the fact that it occurs during a supermoon.
USA Today reporter Doyle Rice contributed to this story.
Jessica Skropanic is a reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and further on facebook.. Join Jessica in the Out! Still Cal Recovery Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, Please subscribe today. Thank you
